All About Reef Safe Wrasses in Aquaria

[dsinsocal]

Not a rimless fan here. My tank is acrylic with braces on top. I handle it exactly the way I outlined above.

Ya, I'll have to make-do and just be extra careful. Thanks for the tips.

 

[saltyhog]

Looking at a picture from their facebook page, it looks like the lid opens from the suction cup side. If the box mounts too close to the glass, the lid will hit the overhanging lip of the tank frame, no? Does the box mount far enough from the glass to clear that frame when you open the lid?

In my tank it will only open if I put downward pressure on the side away from the glass (hinge side). For that reason I do it like @evolved . The other thing about doing that way is that the other fish sometimes don't see the newcomer much when it's high in the tank.

When I feed, I just take my turkey baster and blow some in one of the fenestrations so I don't really have to open the lid until I'm ready to release.

 

[CoralWealth]

so for acclimation boxes. Is a 12 x 6 x 6 box too small to keep 4-5 wrasses in at a time when getting used to the current wrasses in my 180 gallon tank?

I would put them through QT for 2 weeks in a 10 gallon and then put them in the acclimation box.

I would like to add a couple more flasher wrasse, maybe 1-2 fairy wrasse.

 

[evolved]

so for acclimation boxes. Is a 12 x 6 x 6 box too small to keep 4-5 wrasses in at a time when getting used to the current wrasses in my 180 gallon tank?

I've done 2-3. 4-5 sounds like too many to me.

 

[CoralWealth]

I've done 2-3. 4-5 sounds like too many to me.

How would you do it then? Order 3 at a time at most, put them all through QT and then the acclimation box, after they are good get 2 more?

Is 3 flasher wrasse at the same time fine? I am looking at the carpenters, yellow fin and either blue flasher, filamented or linespot.

 

[evolved]

How would you do it then?

Get two boxes or pull them out of the QT in 2 back-to-back batches.

Is 3 flasher wrasse at the same time fine? I am looking at the carpenters, yellow fin and either blue flasher, filamented or linespot.

Yeah, should work.

 

[CoralWealth]

Get two boxes or pull them out of the QT in 2 back-to-back batches.

Yeah, should work.

Thanks!

 

[dsinsocal]

Get two boxes or pull them out of the QT in 2 back-to-back batches.

Ya, either of those would work. Considering that the socialization period should only last 2-5 days you shouldn't have any issue introducing them in 2 separate groups. It won't kill the 2nd group to spend a few extra days in QT

 

[dsinsocal]

In my tank it will only open if I put downward pressure on the side away from the glass (hinge side). For that reason I do it like @evolved . The other thing about doing that way is that the other fish sometimes don't see the newcomer much when it's high in the tank.

When I feed, I just take my turkey baster and blow some in one of the fenestrations so I don't really have to open the lid until I'm ready to release.

Good info. Thanks.

Strangely, all of my current fish spend 90% of their time in the upper 3rd of the water column for some reason -- even the yellow streak who is supposed to prefer lower light. I shouldn't have an issue getting everyone to interact with the box. This is why I'm eager to get a couple of Halichoeres wrasses in there. I need some fish with different swimming habits. All of my current wrasses, along with my small group of Chromis, are always schooling together at the top of the tank, like they're always looking for food. Is that normal for Fairy wrasses? I expected them to be open water swimmers, but in the lower half of the tank.

 

[evolved]

^Pretty normal, yes.

 

[dsinsocal]

I saw a Pink Margin today in person, and wow. That thing was beautiful. Pictures don't do them justice. Are there any notable differences in coloration between regions?

 

[dsinsocal]

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/cirrhilabrus-complexes-inferiority-need-not-apply-1st-revision.352/

I'm not sure if it's a temporary problem with R2R, or if it's been removed for some reason, but this link isn't working for me anymore. It's saying:

REEF2REEF Saltwater and Reef Aquarium Forum - Error
The requested page could not be found

 

[eatbreakfast]

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/cirrhilabrus-complexes-inferiority-need-not-apply-1st-revision.352/

I'm not sure if it's a temporary problem with R2R, or if it's been removed for some reason, but this link isn't working for me anymore. It's saying:

REEF2REEF Saltwater and Reef Aquarium Forum - Error
The requested page could not be found

The articles feature was temporarily shut down for the weekend to help the website keep up with all the traffic for the WWC live sale. Everything should be back to normal today.

 

[evolved]

I saw a Pink Margin today in person, and wow. That thing was beautiful. Pictures don't do them justice. Are there any notable differences in coloration between regions?

A bit of variation, yes. See here: https://reefbuilders.com/2015/08/02/fairy-wrasses-rubrimarginatus-group/

 

[dsinsocal]

A bit of variation, yes. See here: https://reefbuilders.com/2015/08/02/fairy-wrasses-rubrimarginatus-group/

Great article. Thanks for the link!

 

[dsinsocal]

How do you guys socially acclimate Halichoeres wrasses? Do you use a box or set them loose to bury in the sand and acclimate themselves when they're ready?

 

[evolved]

How do you guys socially acclimate Halichoeres wrasses? Do you use a box or set them loose to bury in the sand and acclimate themselves when they're ready?

I use a box for everything, always. It's not the new guy I worry about, but the already established ones. If one of them takes issue, they'll just force that new guy back into the sand each and every time they come out. And that'll end just how you imagine...

 

[dsinsocal]

I use a box for everything, always. It's not the new guy I worry about, but the already established ones. If one of them takes issue, they'll just force that new guy back into the sand each and every time they come out. And that'll end just how you imagine...

If there's space in the box (and the suction cups will hold) would it make sense to try and put a small cup of sand in there with him? Luckily, the guy I got is on the smaller side of the scale (he's closer to 2" than 3.5") so he wouldn't need much sand.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I use a box without sand for a couple/few days.

 

[evolved]

I don't use sand in the box either, as hiding in the box defeats the whole purpose of using the box. I do keep closer tabs on the sand-sleepers in the box though, and if no existing tank mate pays them any mind after a full day, I will let them out a bit sooner than my typical 2-3 days just to keep the stress levels down a bit.